Crossing The Line
by NightlyBlueDemons
Summary: Haymitch was certain of one thing; He hated Effie Trinket. - Short little one-shot set towards the end of The Hunger Games -
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer – I own nothing._

_This little one-shot has been rolling around in my head of a couple of days, dying to be written down. Hopefully it's enjoyable. Please review and let me know your thoughts._

**Crossing The Line**

_Summary: Haymitch was certain of one thing; He hated Effie Trinket - Short little one-shot set towards the end of The Hunger Games_

XoX

He hated her. That was something he didn't even have to think about. He knew he hated her. Hated everything she stood for. Hated the way her voice grated. Hated the clothes she wore and the make-up she plastered over her face. Hated how cold she was. How devious. How Capitol she was.

And yet, how he found himself pressing her soft body into the wall of the penthouse, encased in her so completely, he'd never know.

He hated himself for doing this but he couldn't stop.

For all his hate she was the one person who understood. The one person who had been forced to sit by his side of all this time. The years after years when he would return to the Capitol to watch another set of children from his district be murdered before their eyes.

But this time was different. They were alive, both of them. Still alive. Winners.

Pure elation. That is what he had felt when he'd seen Katniss outwit Seneca Crane. Elation. She had felt it too. Even through all the ridiculous make-up he'd seen it written across her face.

He wasn't sure who'd leaned in first. Who'd made the first move. He only knew where they were now. How they were, as he thrust deliberately.

It was over quickly; both of them spent.

He straightened his collar while she righted her garish pink wig; both of them avoiding eye contact with the other.

'We will be expected downstairs' were the only words she spoke, softly and crisply. Brushing past him, he saw her retrieve her mirror from the handbag she had picked up from the floor. The doors to the lift shut with a sound of finality and he was left with the image of Effie Trinket re-applying her neon pink lipstick with shaking hands.

Haymitch Abernathy was officially a fool, he decided with a curse.


	2. Chapter 2

_Disclaimer – I own nothing._

_Couldn't help but add a little extra from Effie's point of view._

_Please review_

XoX

She hated him. He had always been the blight in her otherwise perfect existence. She had always loved her home, her city, her fashions. Then had come the day she had begun her new life as a champion escort.

Everyone she knew had been jealous and she had been so happy. Then she had met Haymitch.

Years passed, and she watched child after child die. She was thankful that she only had contact with them for a few short weeks. She didn't have a chance to form an attachment. When they died, which was always the case, she threw herself back into her social life, her friends and her clothes, leaving Haymitch alone for another year with his bottle.

This time was different though. They were alive. They had won. She had won. She would no longer bare the ridicule of having been assigned the coal district. She was the escort to the girl on fire.

She hadn't realised what had happened until her back had hit the wall. Even then she couldn't bring herself to stop.

It was sloppy, undignified and rushed. Everything Effie Trinket was not, but she somehow found herself wrapping her legs round him and pulling him even closer.

She came to her senses the moment he pulled away. Both breathing heavily, she adjusted her clothes with embarrassment.

She had always been famous for her meticulous time keeping and now she was thankful. It gave her an excuse to escape.

'We will be expected downstairs'. She felt pride in how steady her voice had been. The only clue to the emotions simmering underneath was the irrepressible shake in her hands.

She blushed under her makeup as she took in her smudged lipstick in her small compact.

As the lift doors closed on Haymitch's abashed face she quickly set to work. By the time she reached the ground floor her make-up was reapplied, like it had never happened. Like nothing had happened.

As the doors opened, she plastered on a smile for the reporters and reminded herself how much she hated that man.

XoX


End file.
